The Serpiente Assassin
by ashehole
Summary: HawkSongA look at Adelina's thoughts after she and Karl were caught for the murder of Charis, Zane's mother, and for the attempted murder of Danica Shardae.


**AN: Yes, this is my first Atwater-Rhodes fanfic. Well, I got this idea from rereading Hawksong, and wondered what Adelina thought as she and Karl confessed their crimes to Zane and Danica. I have a soft spot for the bad guys(or girls) for some unknown reason. Anyways, the dialogue and stuff was all taken from the book, but the character feelings and thoughts are mine. So, please be gentle if it's not all that good.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the book Hawksong, or any other title written by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes, nor do I wish to.**

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The only thing I could think of as my brother held my arms behind my back was my love, my Diente, Zane Cobriana. Zane, with his hawk, his Naga, the one he chose over me. I wanted to picture him with the exact look on his face that he gave Danica, not the one he would have when he found out   
I had killed his mother.

My accomplice, Karl, part of Danica Shardae's Royal Flight, and I both looked up as the crow, Andreios, opened the door. I wanted to cry out to Zane so much, to proclaim my love for him again, to apologize for this horrible tragedy. He had loved me once, so he might let me go. No, no. I wasn't think clearly, realistically. I had shot his mother, and had almost killed his queen. These crimes were unforgivable, and would be punished with death.

Zane walked in with his hawk queen, and I could see his eyes were filled with disbelief. I turned my gaze away, no longer able to look him in the face. I could feel his eyes boring into my form. Why couldn't I have killed his bride, and not his mother?

Karl began to shout his protest immediately. "She wasn't supposed to hurt you!"

"Shut up; they don't care," I responded briskly. Oh, how Karl angered me.

I finally mustered up my failing courage to look at Zane, and then Danica.

Karl proved to be disgusting and ignorant again. This time he spoke to Andreios. "I was trying to protect my Tuuli Thea. I knew they couldn't be trusted—"

I instantly snapped with rage. "You're guilty with treason. No one cares why."

"I care." Zane's voice was so cold, but it couldn't mask his pain. Once again, I felt like crying out to him, wanting him to hold me in his arms. "I care why you killed my mother, and tried to kill my mate."

I turned my head, my white blonde hair falling into my face as I glared with loathing at my accomplice. "_It wasn't supposed to be poisoned!_ He gave me the bolt. An avian bolt, so they would be blamed..." I turned my head to look at Danica, giving her the same loathing look. "The poison was supposed to be weak, just enough to look like someone was trying to harm Charis-without actually doing it."

Karl argued with me, with my love. "And you weren't supposed to hit my Tuuli Thea. You nearly killed her—"

"I was trying to!" I shouted back. "It was only a mistake that I didn't." I lowered my voice as I continued. "I saw my Diente, the man I loved, honoring his vows no matter how cold and miserable they left him—"

"Would someone just kill her and get it over with it?" Karl asked calmly.

Oh, how the stupid bird disgusted me! He was the one who supplied the arrow for the assassination. He was going down with me. Contempt bubbled under the surface of my skin.

"I should have skinned you when I first found you in the palace," I retorted. "You were stupid enough to slice open your own Naga. I should have known you were too stupid to—"

"I was stupid to think a snake would keep her word! You lied to your own king. Why didn't I think you would lie to me?"

"Enough!" We both fell silent at the ferocity of Zane's voice, his shout. "Karl, you were the one who cut Danica?"

"Trying to kill you, sir."

I watched Danica turn from the stupid bird. I dreaded looking into my love's eyes, but knew that this wasn't the time to be cowardly. I met his gaze as he turned to me.

"You lied a bout Karl." It was a cold, harsh statement.

The pain in his voice chilled me. "Yes...sir."

"You tried to kill my mate in the synkal and in he process killed my mother," he accused.

My heart was ripping to shreds. "The poison wasn't supposed to be—"

He held up his hand, and I quieted. "Yes or no, Adelina?"

I swallowed hard. "Yes. And I'm aware that it's a death sentence. Accident or not, I would impose the sentence upon myself for your mother's death. I only wanted to make sure he"— I motioned to Karl—"was also caught, before he could further defend his Naga by trying to kill you again."

"Andreios, can you and Erica see that these two are kept under control until they can be dealt with?"

I shut down as Zane began to speak with my brother. I was going to be put to death knowing that my Diente hated me. It took everything in me to keep myself from crying. Now, I wished, really wished, that I had the avians' control, especially as my brother led me away from my love to my doom.


End file.
